Ratchet wrench



W. B. FORD RATCHET WRENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet l @ffifya Filed Feb. 2, 1955 Get. 4, 1955 w. B. FORD 2,719,447

RATCHET WRENCH Filed Feb. 2, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent() RATCHET WRENCH William B. Ford, Bryan, Ohio, assignor to Are Equipment Corporation, Bryan, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 2, 1953, Serial No. 334,539

10 Claims. (Cl. 81-591) This invention relates to a ratchet wrench of the openend type which has a head that may be used on a hexagonshaped nut, a bolt, a cap screw head or a tubing nut which is accessible only from the side, to impart rotation thereto either continuously, or intermittently in as little as one-twelfth of a revolution or by swinging motion of the tool it is possible to tighten through an are from near zero to the index of the head (one-twelfth of a revolution), a pair of nut corner-engaging rollers being provided for this purpose which may alternately engage the corners of the nut when the head is oscillated slightly more than one-twelfth revolution.

One object of the invention is to provide an open-end ratchet wrench of this general character which may be power operated and which has a relatively small thickness so that it eliminates the necessity of considerable head room to work on a nut or bolt as required by many types of power wrenches.

Another object is to provide a wrench which is adapted for power operation as by means of a pneumatic motor, the wrench comprising a wrench head which is oscillatably mounted in a frame attached to the motor and the frame including mechanism for translating the rotations of the motor shaft into oscillations of the wrench head.

A further object is to provide a novel wrench head which may he slipped edgewise over a nut and when in operating position has a circular part clearing the corners of the nut, the circumferential extent of which is greater than 180 degrees so that it substantially confines the nut against slipping of the wrench therefrom during operation of. the wrench.

Still a further object is to provide a C-shaped wrench head which is oscillatably mounted in a frame of the tool and is provided with one or more nut corner-engaging rollers to engage the nut to rotate it when the wrench head is oscillated in one direction, the rollers being slidable in pockets of the wrench head from extended positions with respect to the circle around the corners of the nut to positions back in the pockets which are tangently arranged relative to this circle so that the rollers clear the corners of the nut in ratcheting fashion when the wrench head is oscillated in the opposite direction.

An additional object is to provide a relatively simple C-shapetl wrench head with relatively simple pocket and roller arrangements in conjunction therewith, and a gear sector, idler gear and rack arrangement for changing reciprocations of the rack into oscillations of the wrench head, the rack in turn being reciprocated by a cam on the motor shaft.

Another additional object is to provide a cam plate pivoted to the frame of the tool and projecting through a slot of the wrench head, the cam plate serving as a stop against the top of a nut during some types of operations and as a holding means to prevent reverse rotation of the nut during other types of operations.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists inthe construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my ratchet wrench, whereby the 2,719,447 Patented Oct. 4, 1955 objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of a ratchet wrench embodying my present invention with a cover plate removed and part of the housing and other elements shown in section.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 1 and shows the motor for the wrench partially in side elevation.

Figure 4 is an enlarged view similar to the left-hand end of Figure l with the wrench head shown in section and illustrating the cooperation of one of the rollers thereof with one corner of a nut.

Figure 5 is a similar view showing the nut turned 30 degrees clockwise.

Figure 6 is a similar view showing the wrench head being oscillated in the opposite direction and one of the rollers ratcheting over the corner of the nut.

Figure 7 shows the final position for the other roller to engage the corner of the nut just before another reciprocation clockwise to rotate the nut another 30 degrees.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view on the line 88 of Figure 4.; and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a roller and its follower used in the wrench head of my ratchet wrench.

On the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate .a motor for operating the wrench which motor may be pneumatically powered and provided with a throttle valve 12 and a throttle lever 14 in the usual manner. The shaft of the motor is indicated at 16.

I provide a body or frame 18 which is partially flat and partially circular as shown in Figure 3. The circular part is engaged with a flange 20 of the motor 10 by a retainer nut 22 so that the frame may be readily connected and disconnected in relation to the motor. The frame 18 is provided with a hollow space therein for an idler gear 24, a rack 26 and portions of a C-shaped wrench head 28. A stud 29 having reduced ends is provided on which the gear .24 rotates.

The wrench head 28, as shown in Figure l, is provided with a circumference 30 and an inner cylindrical surface 32. The circumference 30 has a projection 34 as shown in Figure 2 which interfits in a corresponding arc-shaped groove 33 of the frame 18 for permitting rotation or oscillation of the wrench head relative thereto. A cover plate 36 retains the wrench head in position and also covers the cavity in the frame in which the elements 24 and 26 are mounted.

The projection 34 of the Wrench head is provided with gear teeth 36 meshing with the idler gear 24 and the teeth of the idler gear 34 also mesh with those of the rack .25 so that any oscillations imparted to the rack obviously will oscillate the wrench head. For imparting such oscillations thereto, 1 provide a cam 38 keyed at A to a sleeve 42 mounted on the motor shaft 16 and cooperating with a roller 44 carried by the rack. To retain the roller in contact with the cam 38, I provide a spring 46 interposed between a socket 48 in the frame 18 and a socket Sit in a head 52 of the journal pin 54 provided for the roller 44, all as shown in Figure l.

With specific reference to the Cshaped wrench head 28, it is provided with opposite parallel jaws 56 and 58. The distance between these jaws is just slightly greater than the small diameter of a hexagon nut 59 as shown in Figure 7. The cylindrical surface 32 is just large enough to receive the nut or has a radius substantially equal to the radius of the corner of the nut. Thus the cylindrical surface is of slightly greater extent than degrees as indicated by the angle B in Figure 4.

I provide a pair of rollers 60 and 62 which are mounted in pockets 64 and 66 of the wrench head 28. These rollers are normally seated at 64a and 66a by means of springs 68 (see Figure 8) which bias roller keeper pins 70 toward the rollers, the pins being provided with bladelike extensions 72 entering grooves 74 of the rollers (see also Figure 9). Therefore, the rollers can be forced back in their pockets against the bias of the springs 68 as shown in Figure 6, for instance (roller 60), when the wrench head is oscillated counterclockwise. The springs 68 are retained in position by plugs 76.

Also in connection with the wrench head, I provide a cam plate 78 pivoted at 80 (see Figure 4) and biased by spring 83 to a. position inward of the cylindrical surface 32 of the Wrench head by a spring 82. The inward limit position is shown in Figure 1. This cam plate is pro vided with an edge portion 80 and a notch 82, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. in order not to interfere with the action of the cam plate, the wrench head is slotted as indicated at 84 and the cam plate extends from a pocket 85 in the frame 18 through the slot 84.

Practical operation In the operation of my ratchet wrench, it may be placed downwardly on a bolt or cap screw head 61 as in Figure 1 in which case the cam plate 73 will act as a stop and this is desirable when the head of a bolt or cap screw, for instance, is spaced some distance from a surface against which the head is to be finally engaged by operation of the wrench The cam plate 78 in this instance will prevent the wrench head from settling down too far on the bolt head shown dotted in Figure 2. On the other hand, the head may be slipped sideways over the nut as shown in Figure 7 where there is no head room for the usual type of motor driven wrench.

Assuming a starting position such as shown in Figure 4, the angle A between the rollers 60 and 62 is substantially 30 degrees for my ratchet wrench when designed for a hexagon nut in order to rotate the nut in increments of one-twelfth of a revolution as will hereinafter appear. It will be obvious that if the C-shaped wrench head 28 in Figure 4 is now rotated clockwise, the roller 60 will have no elfect but the roller 62 will engage the upper corner of the nut 59 and rotate the nut, the final position being shown in Figure whereupon the wrench head has reached the limit of its clockwise rotation and is ready to start rotating counter-clockwise.

Figure 6 shows about half of the counterclockwise rotation completed. The roller 60 is now ratcheting across that corner of the nut above referred to, it being shown spaced from its seat 64a. A little further rotation will permit the spring 68 to extend the roller 60 out again to a position such as shown in Figure 6 where the roller 60 now engages the specified corner of the nut for effecting the next 30 degrees of rotation. Similarly during the next counter-clockwise reciprocation, the roller 62 will ratchet over the next corner of the nut and assume the position of Figure 7 for rotating that corner, and the cycle will be repeated with the rollers 60 and 62 alternately engaging the nut corners.

With a wrench of the character shown, the motor may be used for rotating the nut 59 until it stalls the motor whereupon the length of the frame 18 plus the motor 10 serves as a handle of sufiicient leverage to tighten the nut by hand, the gearing being locked due to coming to the end of the throw such as the position shown in Figure 1 with the roller 44 at the bottom of the cam surface 38, or the wrench can be used for hand tightening at any position on the cam rise in confined areas for small degrees of motion.

Referring to Figure 4, it will be noted that the lower corner of the nut is slightly out of position with relation to the notch 82. The notch, it will be noted, is so shaped as to apply pressure as indicated by the arrow to tend to rotate the nut clockwise. Likewise at the intermediate position of the nut, as shown in Figure 7, the surface of the cam engages the corner of the nut as indicated by an arrow to apply pressure tending to rotate the nut clockwise. The cam plate 78, therefore, when it engages the side of the nut, tends to keep it from rotating counterclockwise during the ratcheting operation in case the friction between the nut and the bolt is but slight.

To rotate the nut in a counter-clockwise direction, it is merely necessary to turn the complete wrench including the frame 18 over. The wrench head can then be applied to the nut and the tool used as a hand lever for loosening the nut after which the motor may be energized for removing the nut. I have illustrated one size of wrench head 28 and it will be obvious that it fits but one size of nut. It may, of course, be made in various sizes and each wrench, being readily attachable and detachable relative to the motor 10, minimizes wrench changing. This is no disadvantage in mass production, however, as it would be the usual practice for one workman to operate on only the size of nut which his wrench will fit.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my ratchet wrench without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any iodified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. A ratchet wrench comprising an open-end wrench head having jaws of sufficient width to receive the small diameter of hexagon nut and inwardly of said jaws a partial cylindrical surface of sufiicient size to receive the corners of the nut, 21 pair of rollers for engaging the corners of the nut, said rollers being spaced circumferentially substantially thirty degrees,'said cylindrical surface having a pocket for each of said rollers, said pockets being elongated tangently in respect to said cylindrical surface to permit each roller to seat at one end of its pocket and project from the cylindrical surface to engage the corner of the nut to rotate it or permit the roller to be pushed back into the pocket for ratcheting said wrench head around the nut, and means normally biasing said rollers toward seated position, a frame oscillatably supporting said head, a cam plate pivoted to said frame, said head having a slot intermediate its faces through which said cam plate projects, spring means normally biasing said cam plate to swing on its pivot to a position with its nut engaging edge within the cylindrical surface and having a notch and a surface thereadjacent so shaped as to engage corners of the nut to rotate it under the action of said spring means in the direction it is rotated by oscillations of said head, and means for oscillating said head relative to said frame.

2. A ratchet wrench comprising an open-end wrench head having jaws of sufiicient width to receive the small diameter of a hexagon nut and inwardly of said jaws a partial cylindrical surface of sufficient size to receive the corners of the nut, a pair of rollers for engaging the corners of the nut, said rollers being spaced circumferentially substantially thirty degrees, said cylindrical surface having a pocket for each of said rollers, said pockets being elongated tangently in respect to said cylindrical surface to permit each roller to seat at one end of its pocket and project from the cylindrical surface to engage the corner of the nut to rotate it or permit the roller to be pushed back into the pocket for ratcheting said wrench head around the nut, means normally biasing said rollers toward seated position, a frame supporting said head for oscillation and means carried by said frame for imparting oscillations to said head, said last means comprising gear teeth formed on said head, an idler gear journalled in said frame and meshing therewith, a rack meshing with said idler gear and reciprocably mounted relative to said frame, and a motor carried by said frame and operatively connected with said rack to impart reciprocations thereto upon operation of said motor.

3. A ratchet wrench comprising a C-shaped wrench head having a partial cylindrical surface of sufficient size to receive the corners of a nut, the circumferential extent of said surface being greater than 180 degrees to substantially confine the nut therein during oscillation of said wrench head, a pair of rollers carried by said head and normally projecting inwardly from said cylindrical surface, said rollers being movable tangently in respect to said cylindrical surface to permit them to be pushed back into said head when it is oscillated around the nut in one direction, spring means normally biasing said rollers toward the first mentioned position, a frame oscillatably supporting said head, a cam plate pivoted to said frame, said head having a slot intermediate its faces through which said cam plate projects, spring means normally biasing said cam plate to swing on its pivot to a position with its not engaging edge within the cylindrical surface and having a notch and a surface thereadjacent so shaped as to engage corners ofthe nut to rotate it under the action of said spring means in the direction it is rotated by oscillations of said head, and means for oscillating said head relative to said frame.

4. In a. ratchet wrench of the character disclosed, a C-shaped Wrench head having jaws of snfiicient width to receive the small diameter of a nut and inwardly of said jaws a partial cylindrical surface of sufficient size to receive the corners of the nut, the circumferential extent of said surface being greater than 180 degrees to substantially confine the nut therein during oscillation of said wrench head, a roller for engaging the corners of the nut, said cylindrical surface having a pocket for said roller, said pocket being elongated tangently in respect to said cylindrical surface to permit the roller to seat at one end of the pocket and project from the cylindrical surface to engage the corner of the nut to rotate it when said head is oscillated around the nut in one direction and permit the roller to be pushed back into the pocket by the nut when said head is oscillated around the nut in the opposite direction, and spring means normally biasing said roller toward its seated position, a frame osciliatably supporting said head, a cam plate pivoted to said frame, means normally biasing said cam plate to swing on its pivot to a position within said cylindrical surface, said cam plate being so shaped as to engage the nut and tend to rotate it under the action of said means in the direction it is rotated by oscillation of said head, and means for oscillating said head relative to said frame.

5. in a ratchet wrench of the character disclosed, a C-shaped wrench head having jaws of sufficient width to receive the small diameter of a nut and inwardly of said jaws a partial cylindrical surface of sutiicient size to receive the corners of the nut, the circumferential extent of said surface being greater than 180 degrees to substantially confine the nut therein during oscillation of said wrench head, a pair of rollers circumferentially spaced along said cylindrical surface in adjacent relation so as to permit a corner of the nut to be positioned therebetween for alternate engagement by each of said pair of rollers when said wrench head is oscillated, said cylindrical surface having a pocket for each of said rollers, said pockets being elongated tangently in respect to said cylindrical surface to permit the engaging roller of said pair to seat at one end of its respective pocket and pro ject from the cylindrical surface to engage the corner of the nut to rotate it when said head is oscillated around the nut in one direction and permit said engaging roller to be pushed back into the pocket by the nut when said head is oscillated around the nut in the opposite direction, spring means normally biasing said rollers toward their seated position and means for oscillating said wrench head, said last means comprising gear teeth formed on said head, an idler gear journalled on said frame and 6 meshing therewith, a rack meshing with said idler gear and reciprocably mounted relative to said frame, and a motor carried by said frame and operatively connected with said rack to impart reciprocations thereto upon operation of said motor,

6. In a ratchet wrench of the character disclosed, a C-shaped wrench head having jaws of suflicient width to receive the small diameter of a nut and inwardly of said jaws a partial cylindrical surface of sufficient size to receive the. corners of the nut, the circumferentialextent of said surface being greater than degrees to substantially confine the nut therein during oscillation of said wrench head, a roller for engaging the corners of the nut, said cylindrical surface having a pocket for said roller, said pocket being elongated tangently in re spect to said cylindrical surface to permit the roller to seat at one end of the pocket and project from the cylindrical surface to engage the corner of the nut to rotate it when said head is oscillated around the nut in one direction and permit the roller to be pushed back into the pocket by the nut when said head is oscillated around the nut in the opposite direction, and spring means normally biasing said roller toward its seated position, a frame oscillatably supporting said head, and means for oscillating said head relativeto said frame, said last means comprising gear teeth formed on said head, an idler gear journalled on said frame and meshing therewith, a rack meshing with said idler gear and reciprocably mounted relative to said frame, and a motor carried by said frame and operatively connected with said rack to impart reciprocations thereto upon operation of said motor.

7. In a ratchet wrench of the character disclosed, a C-shaped wrench head having jaws of sufficient width to receive the small diameter of a nut and inwardly of said jaws a partial cylindrical surface of sufficient size to receive the corners of the nut, the circumerential extent of said surface being greater than 180 degrees to substantially confine the nut therein during oscillations of said wrench head, a pair of rollers for alternately engaging the corners of the nut, said cylindrical surface having a pocket for each of said rollers, said pockets being elongated tangently in respect to said cylindrical surface to permit the engaging roller to seat at one end of the pocket and project from the cylindrical surface to engage the corner of the nut to rotate it when said head is oscillated around the nut in one direction and permit the roller to be pushed back into the pocket by the nut when said head is oscillated around the nut in the opposite direction, spring means normally biasing said rollers toward their seated positions, a frame oscillatably supporting said head, a cam plate pivoted to said frame, said head being slotted, said cam plate projecting through the slot thereof, spring means normally biasing said cam plate to swing on its pivot to a position with its nut engaging edge within said cylindrical surface and having a notch and a surface thereadjacent so shaped as to engage corners of the nut to rotate it under the action of said spring means in the direction it is rotated by oscillations of said head, and means for oscillating said head relative to said frame, said last means comprising gear teeth formed on said head, an idler gear journalled in said frame and meshing therewith, a rack meshing with said idler gear and reciprocably mounted relative to said frame, and a motor carried by said frame and opcratively connected with said rack to impart reciprocations thereto upon operation of said motor.

8. In a ratchet drench of the character disclosed, a C-shaped wrench head having jaws of sufficient width to receive the small diameter of a nut and inwardly of said jaws a partial cylindrical surface of sufficient size to receive the corners of the nut, the circumferential extent of said surface being greater than 180 degrees to substantially confine the nut therein during oscillations of said wrench head, a pair of rollers for alternately engaging the corners of the nut, said cylindrical surface having a pocket for each of said rollers, said pockets being elongated tangently in respect to said cylindrical surface to permit the engaging roller to seat at one end of the pocket and project from the cylindrical surface to engage the corner of the nut to rotate it when said head is oscillated around the nut in one direction and permit the roller to be pushed back into the pocket by the nut when said head is oscillated around, the nut in the opposite direction, spring means normally biasing said rollers toward their seated positions, a frame oscillatably supporting said head, a cam plate pivoted to said frame, said head being slotted, said cam plate projecting through the slot thereof, spring means normally biasing said cam plate to swing on its pivot to a position with its nut engaging edge within said cylindrical surface and means for oscillating said head relative to said frame, said last means comprising gear teeth formed on said head, an idler gear journalled in said frame and meshing therewith, a rack meshing with said idler gear and reciprocably mounted relative to said frame, and a motor carried by said frame and operatively connected with said rack to impart reciprocations thereto upon operation of said motor.

9. In a ratchet wrench of the character disclosed, a

tit-shaped wrench head having jaws of sufficient width to receive the small diameter of a nut and inwardly of said jaws a partial cylindrical surface of sufficient size to receive the corners of the nut, the circumferential extent of said surface being greater than 180 degrees to substantially confine the nut therein during oscillation of said wrench head, a roller for engaging the corners of the nut, said cylindrical surface having a pocket for said I roller, said pocket being elongated tangently in respect to said cylindrical surface to permit the roller to seat at one end of the pocket and project from the cylindrical surface to engage the corner of the nut to rotate it when said head is oscillated around the nut in one direction and permit the roller to be pushed back into the pocket by the l 3 nut when said head is oscillated around the nut in the opposite direction, and spring means normally biasing said roller toward its seated position, a frame oscillatably supporting said head, and means for oscillating said head relative to said frame, comprising gear teeth formed thereon, an idler gear and a rack, and a motor carried by said frame and operatively connected with said rack to impart reciprocations thereto. 7

10. In a ratchet wrench of the character disclosed, a C-shaped wrench head having jaws of sufficient width to receive the small diameter of a nut and inwardly of said jaws a partial cylindrical surface of sufircient size to receive the corners of the nut, the circumferential extent of said surface being greater than 180 degrees to subr stantially confine the nut therein during oscillation of said wrench head, a roller for engaging the corners of the nut, said cylindrical surface having a pocket for said roller, said pocket being elongated tangently in respect to said cylindrical surface to permit the roller to seat at one end of the pocket and project from the cylindrical surface to engage the corner of the nut to rotate it when said head is oscillated around the nut in the direction and permit the roller to be pushed back into the pocket by the nut when said head is oscillated around the nut in the opposite direction, and spring means normally biasing said roller toward its seated position, a frame oscillatably supporting said head, and mechanical means for oscillating said head relative to said frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 733,525 Warden July 14, 1903 919,260 Smith Apr. 20, 1909 1,200,430 Rosenstein Oct. 3, 1916 1,898,388 Parker Feb. 21, 1933 2,119,968 Shaif June 7, 1938 2,382,074 Leisenring Aug. 14, 1945 

